


Pyrrhic Victory

by thekeybladetomyheart (ObsessedMuch)



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Canon Compliant, F/M, I mean it, Multi, OT3 is endgame here, but not exactly happy, it's hopeful, when I say canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 07:37:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17914607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObsessedMuch/pseuds/thekeybladetomyheart
Summary: Sora saves Kairi, just like he promised. Now that everyone's back, the Destiny Trio decide to throw a party. But Kairi notices that Sora has been...different since they got back, and she's got a bad feeling about it. Can she get him to open up to her before something else goes wrong?





	Pyrrhic Victory

**Author's Note:**

> I'll admit that this one kind of got away from me at a couple points, and ended up much longer than I expected it to be. I didn't proofread it as carefully as I normally do, so hopefully nothing absolutely egregious got through. 
> 
> This picks up after the canon ending of Kingdom Hearts 3, and bridges the gap between the ending and the epilogue (right before the credits)

She knew something was off from the moment she opened her eyes again. Sora had smiled that radiant smile at her, but something about it just seemed…dimmer. Like some of the light had leaked out.

But she accepted the hand that he stuck out for her, letting him pull her to her feet. He pulled her into his arms just as she leaped forward to throw her own arms around his neck.

“I found you,” he said softly, embrace tightening just a little bit.

“Yeah, you found me.” She whispered the words into his neck, fighting back the urge to cry with relief. She’d never truly doubted that he would come for her, but she _had_ worried that he would get lost on the way. Standing here with him was only everything she’d ever dreamed of. _Although,_ she thought as she finally looked around, _where exactly is here_?

It didn’t look like they were back in the Keyblade Graveyard, and it certainly wasn’t Destiny Islands. So where had they ended up? She pushed against Sora’s hold, leaning back enough to be able to look at his face.

“Sora, where exactly are we?” He looked around them, forehead creased in confusion.

“You mean you don’t recognize it?” She studied his face, looking for any indication that he was messing with her. He simply looked back at her, eyes uncharacteristically somber.

“No, I don’t,” she said. “Why should I recognize it?”

“This is Radiant Garden. It’s where you lived, before you came to the Islands.” She stepped away from him in shock, head whipping around to see the area. Her memories had always been shaky, filled with vague feelings rather than clear snapshots of time. Still, there was something intensely familiar about the ivy-covered walls and flower patches surrounding her. Suddenly, her heart gave a painful lurch, and fought back tears a second time.

“I don’t…I don’t remember it. I don’t remember living here; I don’t remember my family; I don’t remember _anything_.” Sora pulled her into his arms again, shushing her as he hugged her warmly.

“It’s okay. Memories aren’t the only thing that connect us to the people we love. When the connection is strong enough, that person or place will remain with you forever. Even when you don’t remember them.” His voice was even and calm, and she let herself be soothed by it. Once the unexpected tears dried up, she pulled back to shoot him a playful grin.

“When did you get so smart about this?” She teased.

“Probably around the second time I had to save all the worlds,” he replied with a laugh.

“Well, then maybe we should have you save the universe a few more times, and you might end up a genius.” She’d meant it to be a joke, especially since she was pretty sure they were all tired of fighting for now. But she was unprepared for the way Sora’s smile turned almost brittle, and she fought back a frown at the sight.

“Yeah, maybe.” His voice was breezy, a clear attempt at his usual cheer, but there was still something off about him. She debated whether it was worth it to confront him, but a deep voice calling their names distracted her. They both turned to see Ansem the Wise striding toward them.

“I’m relieved to see the two of you in good spirits,” he said once he was close enough. “And I believe you’ve arrived just in time. While I sense that this may not be an opportune time, I must ask something of you, Kairi.”

“Of course,” she responded immediately. She already had a few guesses as to where this was going. “What is it that you need?”

“I’m not sure how much you know of our research involving the Replica program, but to shorten a very long story, I need your help to remedy a grievous mistake.”

“This is about Naminé, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “We have the chance to restore her into being, by merging her heart with a new body. We have the body ready for her, and we await her heart.”

“Which is still inside me,” Kairi said. She put a hand to her chest, as if she could feel the extra presence in her heart. She’d been waiting for this opportunity practically since Naminé joined back with her, but now she felt almost…afraid. What would it feel like to have someone else’s heart removed from her own? Would she feel the emptiness like a hole in her chest? Or would it be more like a toothache—able to be ignored, but always throbbing in the back of her mind?

“It won’t be as bad as you’re afraid of,” a voice muttered in her ear. Turning her head, she was met with Sora’s earnest gaze. For a moment, she’d forgotten that he was their resident expert on this subject. “It’s going to feel weird, and not entirely pleasant. But you won’t be left as anything less than entire person.”

She gave him a grateful smile. “Well, I think you hit my concerns right on the head. Alright,” she said as she turned back to face Ansem. “Let’s do this.”

The “extraction” process went smoothly enough, with no one ending up dead or trapped in darkness. However, apparently it would still take time to make sure that the heart and body were merged smoothly, so Sora and Kairi elected to go back to the Islands for now. They definitely deserved some time with their best friend, now that they were all back.

Riku was surprised to see them, but his shock quickly melted into a warm smile. “You’re back,” he called out. He ran toward them with unusual exuberance. When he reached them, he turned to Sora and clapped a hand on his shoulder before drawing him in a hug. “I knew you could do it, Sora.”

“Told you guys I’d be back.” Maybe it was the way Riku was squeezing him, but Sora’s voice sounded a little weak. Riku didn’t seem to think much of it, though, as he released the other boy and turned to her.

Before she could even react, he swept her up into a twirling hug. She laughed and clung tightly as they spun, delighting in the growing dizziness. When he finally came to a stop, he set her down gently and looked at her with bright eyes.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, Kairi.” His voice was dangerously close to reverent. Combined with the awe-struck look on his face, it brought a confused blush to Kairi’s cheeks. She wasn’t really sure how to handle the butterflies that suddenly started fluttering in her stomach. Her eyes drifted to Sora, and she felt her brows knit together at the strange expression on his face.

It wasn’t angry, or jealous, or any of the other emotions she half-expected to see. Instead, he looked almost sad as he watched them. Riku noticed where she was looking and took a pointed step back, clearing his throat awkwardly.

“If you’d like, I can give you two some alone time,” he said.

“No!” Kairi and Sora shouted at the same time.

Riku reeled back from the force of their declaration, blinking a few times. “Alright then. In that case, what do you want to do now?”

“Can we go sit on the paopu tree?” Sora asked. “I’d really like a chance to watch the sunset with you guys, again.”

They agreed readily, and the trio made their way to the Play Island. As they sat in their usual places, Kairi couldn’t help but marvel at how much growth this little island represented for the three of them. It was the place where their journey had begun, when Riku opened the door to the heart of their world; it was the place she’d found herself when Sora restored all the worlds that had fallen to darkness; it was the place she’d watched Riku and Sora drop from the sky after their brief stay in the Realm of Darkness; and now, here they were after defeating Xehanort and saving all their friends, both new and old. _This place has seen so much action the past few years, but I think it can handle just a little bit more._

“I think we should throw a party here,” she said suddenly. She didn’t look away from the horizon, but she felt two heads turn to look at her.

“Wait, what?” Sora asked. He was lounging back against the tree, between her and Riku. “What kind of party?”

She turned to face them, hands braced on either side on her thighs. “A victory party with all our friends, from all the different worlds. We should get a chance to celebrate having everyone back together.”

Riku chimed in from where he was sitting on Sora’s other side. “I think that’s a great idea. We haven’t had a lot of time to spend with everyone, with the battle and then all the cleaning up we’ve been doing. This might be a good chance for all of us to relax together.”

“Together,” Sora repeated softly. He stared down at his hands for a moment, a pensive expression on his face. Riku frowned as Kairi narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. _I’m not the only one who sees that Sora is acting weird, then. Good._

But then—like someone had flipped a switch—Sora pumped his fist in the air enthusiastically. “A party is just what we need.” The bright grin that followed was almost enough to convince Kairi that he was back to normal. Almost.

The next few days were a whirlwind of activity as they spoke to all their friends. Aqua, Terra and Ventus were the first ones to agree, since they were nearly done with the reconstruction of the Land of Departure. Lea, Isa and the rest of the gang in Twilight Town also accepted eagerly. Roxas and Xion were especially excited about getting to come to the beach.

Mickey and the others from Disney Castle were a little harder to convince, considering how long they’d already been gone. Concerned that they were pressuring their friends unnecessarily, Riku even suggested pushing the party back so that they had more time at home. Kairi opened her mouth to agree, but was cut off by Sora’s vehement, “No!”

Stunned, both teenagers turned to their friend. Sora had been relatively passive during the planning phase, which was unusual enough. He tended to speak his mind frequently and loudly about almost anything, but he’d been deferring to them on every decision. Kairi had even taken to making absurd requests like giant Dream Eater balloons and extravagant dishes in an effort to shake him out of whatever funk he’d fallen into. But every one of those suggestions had received a shrug and a gracious, “if that’s what you want.” For him to suddenly decide to stand his ground on this, of all things, was startling.

“Sora, it’s okay if we postpone the party for a week or two. No one’s going anywhere, it will be fine.” Riku sounded confused, and Kairi couldn’t say she blamed him. Especially when Sora’s eyes widened, a hint of panic creeping in.

“We can’t postpone it,” he said rapidly. At their concerned silence, he took a deep breath and plastered on a pale imitation of his usual grin. “I mean, we’ve already planned it this far out, and everyone else would be really disappointed if we pushed it back. Besides, it’s not like they have to stay for very long; it’s not even going to be a full day.” Something about the way he was talking sounded almost desperate, though Kairi couldn’t even begin to imagine why.

In the end, the party remained as planned, and Mickey and the others agreed to come. Finally, there was just one more person to worry about.

“Ienzo just called,” Riku said as he plopped down in the sand next to her and Sora. “Naminé is finally awake, and she’s pretty excited to meet everyone.”

“Just in time! We’ll go get her tomorrow morning, then.” Sora was lying down, arms crossed behind his head as he stared up at the night sky. He sat up, looking over at them while he spoke. “She can hang out with us until the party later in the day.”

“She can stay with me afterwards, too. I don’t know that I like the idea of her living alone in Radiant Garden,” Kairi added.

“Even if Ansem the Wise is trying to make up for the way he treated her before, I think she’d prefer to live just about anywhere else.” Riku paused before continuing in a more hesitant voice. “If it’s alright with the two of you, though, I’d like to go pick her up by myself.”

She turned to give him a curious look. “Why do you want to go alone?”

“I may not have been quite as awful to her as Ansem was, but I certainly didn’t treat her as well as I should have,” he sighed. “I was worried about Sora, but that’s no excuse for letting Ansem talk to her the way he did. I want to apologize to her, properly, and I think she’ll be more comfortable if it’s just the two of us there for it. Besides, I promised my replica that I’d be there for her.”

“Aww, is this the beginning of a crush I hear?” The words tasted sour in her mouth, though she couldn’t imagine why. She and Sora were…something, even if she didn’t have a label for it yet. Shouldn’t she want the same thing for her best friend? Still, she couldn’t deny the thrill of petty satisfaction she got when she caught sight of Sora’s affronted face. At least she wasn’t the only one.

Riku flushed, but didn’t avert his gaze. “No, it’s not. But I made a promise, and I intend to carry it out.”

“Of course you do. Always the noble one, aren’t you?” Sora teased from Kairi’s other side. She didn’t miss the way his hands clenched briefly before abruptly relaxing.

“So, would it be okay if I went to get Naminé?” Riku asked, steering the conversation back to his original point. Kairi expected Sora to object, considering his pathological need to always be involved.

Instead, he smiled absently at them. “Yeah, I guess that’s fine. If that’s what you guys want.” Kairi stared at him, debating whether it was worth it to pry. There was something suspicious going on, and she had a bad feeling that she wouldn’t like it.

Riku stared at Sora for a minute, and Kairi could see a little bit of her suspicion mirrored in that gaze. She waited for him to say something, because he’d always had a way of getting through to the other boy that she’d always envied. But in the end, Riku simply shook his head and stood up.

“It’s getting pretty late; you guys should probably head home soon. Especially since we still have some things to do tomorrow.” He spoke mostly to Kairi, since Sora had laid back down and was staring up at the sky again. She nodded, electing to stand up and brush the sand off her skirt.

“You’re right. My dad’s probably pacing in the foyer right now. He’s been hovering like crazy ever since I got back.”

“Can you blame him?” Riku asked with a guilty smile. “I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth, so it’s not like he knows you basically died. But you were still gone for almost a week without anyone being able to contact you. He’d be a terrible parent if he hadn’t been worried.”

“Yeah, I guess,” she admitted. “But I’d really like it if he stopped looking at me like I’m made of glass. I may not be a full-fledged Master, but I can still kick some ass with my Keyblade.”

Riku laughed. “I’d love to see you tell him that to his face.” His laughter only got louder when she stuck out her tongue at him. She shoved him lightly, turning to follow him to the boats when she realized Sora was still on the ground.

“Sora?” The other boy didn’t acknowledge her, so she leaned over him. His eyes took a few seconds to focus on her, but when they did he jumped.

“Woah, give a guy a little warning,” he shouted. She raised her eyebrow at him.

“I called your name. Didn’t you hear me?” He simply shook his head. “Well, I just wanted to know if you were coming back to the main island with us. It’s getting pretty late, and I’m sure your mom is waiting for you.”

“Oh,” he said faintly. “I…I think I’m going to stay out here for just a few more minutes. But you guys can go on ahead.”

“Sora, is everything alright?” Riku was looking over at them, forehead scrunched up in concern. Sora paused, and for a moment, Kairi thought he might actually tell them what had been bothering him since they got home.

But he shook his head again, giving them another placid smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. You guys go home; I’ll be right behind you.”

She didn’t really want to leave him alone, but his stiff body language was hint enough that her presence wouldn’t be welcome. Riku looked just as uncertain as she felt, but she walked over and wrapped her arm around his.

“In that case, we’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t fall asleep out here; it would be so embarrassing to have to face our friends while looking like a lobster.” She chuckled at the indignant squawk he let out.

“It was one time!” he shouted at their retreating backs. They didn’t dignify him with an answer, but she felt Riku shaking with silent laughter.

The pair was silent while rowing back to the main island, but as he helped her out of her boat, Riku said, “There’s something going on with him.”

She sighed. “Yeah, he’s been acting weird since I woke up with him in Radiant Garden. Every time I say something about it, he brushes me off. Whatever he’s hiding, it can’t be good. I’ve got a really bad feeling about it.” She whispered the last part, but the way Riku’s hand tightened its grip on her elbow told her that he’d still heard it.

“We can’t force him to tell us,” he said through his teeth, sounding distinctly unhappy. “He’s too stubborn for that, so we have to wait for him to come to us. But I’m with you; I don’t like this at all.” They didn’t speak the rest of the way to Kairi’s house, each lost in their own thoughts. She gave him a hug before she went inside, taking and giving comfort in equal measure.

Despite her unease, she slept pretty well, and awoke to bright sunshine streaming through her window. She wasn’t in too much of a rush, so she took her time getting ready for the day. Riku messaged her on the GummiPhone she’d received from Ienzo, letting her know that Naminé was finally here. That made her pick up the pace a little.

All their friends had instructions to meet on the play island, so she headed straight for it. When she arrived, she was a little taken aback to see that Sora had beaten her there.

“I’m surprised you’re even awake right now,” she couldn’t help saying. “You’re not exactly what I would call a morning person.”

He folded his arms behind his head. “Yeah well, things can change. Besides, I had to talk to Naminé about something.”

She opened her mouth to say something else, but the words died in her throat when she saw a flash of white behind Sora. She stepped around him, heading straight for a familiar blonde girl.

Naminé seemed almost frightened, even as Kairi swept her into a warm hug. But eventually, she relaxed and returned the embrace.

“I know you never saw yourself as anything but my shadow,” Kairi whispered, “but I want you to know that you were always your own person, and I’m so happy to have you here now.”

“Thank you,” Naminé whispered back. “I thought that I would fade away once I rejoined with you, but you gave me the power to remain myself. I’m still not sure what to do with this life, but thank you for giving it to me.” Her voice grew thicker with every word, and Kairi knew she was probably crying. She pulled back a little, giving the other girl a bright smile.

“I didn’t give you anything; you gave it to yourself. But I promise that I will always be here to help you with anything. Even if it involves kicking some old man’s ass. Actually, e _specially_ if it involves kicking some old man’s ass.”

Riku snorted from where he’d been casually leaning against a tree several feet away. “Why am I not surprised that you’re already looking for a fight?”

Kairi shrugged. “Because you know me?” The exchange made Naminé laugh, which had probably been Riku’s goal. And it was a beautiful sound, as small as it was.

For the rest of the afternoon, the trio did their best to produce an encore, with mixed results. They learned pretty quickly that she didn’t seem to enjoy watching the boys fall all over themselves, which was really too bad. Kairi could laugh all day at the sight of Sora tumbling over a log and splashing down in the waves, but Naminé usually just got very concerned. But they earned a few good laughs before everyone else arrived.

Chaos broke out soon after that. With so many bodies, the play island almost seemed crowded. Everyone was running around and laughing together in a way they hadn’t been able to do until now. Lea and Isa started a game a Frisbee with an old toy of Lea’s, and Roxas challenged Riku to a race. Kairi was watching Xion and Naminé search for shells when she noticed a dark figure sitting alone on the paopu tree. When she looked closer, she couldn’t help but frown; it was Sora. Her stomach twisted.

She slipped away from her conversation with Aqua and Terra as soon as she could, making her way silently towards the tree. He didn’t seem to notice her approach, but he flinched when she sat down next to him.

“Is there any particular reason why you’re sitting up here alone, away from all your friends?” She didn’t look at him, choosing instead to stare out at the ocean like he was doing.

“I just…needed a minute,” he said haltingly. “You should go back with the others.”

She turned to glare at him. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s wrong.” He opened his mouth, and she covered it with her hand. “You’ve been acting strange ever since you brought me back, and I think I deserve to know why.”

He slumped. “You’re right, you deserve better than this.” She blinked in surprise at the defeated tone.

“That’s not what I said. But you really should tell me what’s going on.”

Sora finally turned his head to look at her, and the sight of his watery eyes made her breathing stutter. “I’m sorry, Kairi, but I can’t stay.”

“What does that even mean?” She grabbed his hand in hers, squeezing tightly.

“It was the price to pay for saving you, for saving all of you.” He grimaced at whatever expression was on her face. “I knew from the moment I left to find you that I wouldn’t be able to come back from it. Not really, at least. I was able to hang on until now, but I can’t stay much longer.”

Her heart clenched as she realized what he was trying to say. “Sora, no! You can’t leave us like this. This isn’t how it’s supposed to end.”

He gave her a smile that was full of guilt and defeat. “We don’t always get the ending we deserve, so we have to make the most of what we do have.” He twisted his hand, rearranging it so that he was the one squeezing her hand. “Just promise me that you won’t let this ruin your life. I came after you because I didn’t want you to be alone, and I’d hate to think that I failed.”

“Sora…” A tear spilled out without permission, leaving a wet trail down her face.

“And tell Riku…” Here, he faltered. “Tell Riku that it’s not his fault. This was my choice, and now I have to live with it.”

“Except you don’t have to live with it,” she said, surprising herself with the bitterness in her voice. “You’re leaving, and we’re the ones who have to live with your choice.”

That infuriatingly sad smile didn’t budge. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. Like I said, you deserve better.” As he spoke, his voice seemed to fade, as though he were walking away from her. His grip on her hand loosened, and between one heartbeat and the next he disappeared. She continued staring at the spot where he’d been, almost numb to the sudden clamoring that came from the crowd on the beach.

She lost track of how long she sat there, so it could have been seconds or hours before she heard the sound of heavy footfalls coming toward her. Large hands framed her face and carefully turned her to meet turquoise eyes.

“Kairi, what happened?” Riku spoke gently, but she could see the panic in his eyes.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to speak but defeated each time by overwhelming despair. Eventually, she managed to croak out, “He’s gone.”

Riku frowned. “What does that mean? Where did he go?” But Kairi couldn’t hold back any longer.

The tears she’d been holding back burst forth with a vengeance, and she broke out into loud, hiccupping sobs. Riku didn’t even hesitate before pulling her in and tucking her face into his shoulder. He swept gentle hands along her shoulders and back, shushing her gently. Only the slight tremble of his hands let her know that he was anything but composed.

When her wails quieted into softer cries, he gently eased her back. She opened her mouth to try and explain, but stopped when she saw the grief on his face. Apparently, her reaction had been explanation enough.

He threaded his fingers soothingly through her hair, brushing it out of her face. She grabbed his hand, laying her cheek against it as she tried to steady her still-hitching breaths. When she finally calmed down, she let their hands fall together into her lap.

Riku studied her face for another moment before his eyes lit up with determination. “I’m going to get him back,” he said firmly, though his voice suspiciously thick. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it just yet, but I’m going to get him back for you.”

“For us,” she murmured as the final pieces clicked together in her head. Riku’s forehead scrunched up. “Not just for me,” she said a little louder. “You’re going to get him back for us. And I’m going with you.” She slid off of the tree, still holding tightly onto his hand.

He tried to step back, confusion written all over his face. “Kairi, this is going to be really dangerous.”

“And that’s why I’m coming with you. You two have been running into all kinds of danger for two years, and leaving me behind to do it. Well, I’ve had enough. We’re doing this together, and that’s non-negotiable.” She was practically shouting by the end of her little speech, but Riku took it all in stride. He looked her over before nodding once.

“You’re right. You deserve to go after him as much as I do.”

“That’s what I thought. Now let’s go get our boyfriend back so I can kick his ass from here to Twilight Town.”

Riku flinched at the word “boyfriend,” but then gave her a sly smile. “Why stop there? I was thinking Neverland.”

She tilted her head, considering. “I think you’re on to something. This particular stunt deserves an ass-kicking that he won’t ever forget.” She twisted her hand, catching his fingers in hers and smiling at the way he easily complied.

“Right. Now let’s go.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title might have been a little too on the nose, yeah? Well, in any case, Kairi and Riku are off to save their boyfriend from his terrible life choices, so don't you worry. I have a few ideas rattling around for the actual adventure they go on, so stay tuned? Maybe, longer pieces like that usually take me forever to write.


End file.
